If all my sins are forgiven, why not continue to sin?
"What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" —Romans 6:15 (NLT)
When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, they introduced sin into the world (Genesis 3:6-7). Now, every human being since them has had a curse upon them. That means that we are literally unable to not sin.
Because of this, we're kind of helpless in our pursuit of a right relationship with our Creator, which is what we are ultimately created for. Thankfully, Jesus provided a way for us to restore that relationship with God and gave us the Holy Spirit to help us live godly lives.
The Temptations of Sin
"Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away." —James 1:14 (NLT)
Even though we have guidance and discernment from God, we'll still experience sinful temptations almost every day. And if we're honest with ourselves, those sins seem really enticing sometimes, don't they? Some days, we might look for any excuse to do the thing we want—regardless of what God says.
Some subscribe to the "license to sin" philosophy, which says that they're free to sin as much as they want because God has already forgiven all their sins anyway. Why not copy the homework of a really smart friend or lie to our parents to get out of something? God will forgive us, right? Well, yes, He will always forgive (1 John 1:9), but that's no way to live a purposeful, fulfilling life (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
The Consequences of Sin
"My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same." —Job 4:8 (NLT)
All human beings have free will, which means that, while God is sovereign, we're still allowed to choose our own actions. God doesn't force us to be obedient, rather, He asks us to willing trust Him.
When we choose sin, there will be consequences. They may not be immediate, but there will definitely be consequences (Galatians 6:8). Even though we are eternally forgiven, God will allow us to suffer earthly consequences in order to help us learn and mature.
God created these boundaries in part for our own protection. He knows what we should and shouldn't do to keep us safe, joyful, and healthy in all aspects of our lives. So even though we're forgiven of all our sins, it's in our best interest to say "no" to sinful temptations for three big reasons.
Sin damages our relationships.
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." —Galatians 5:13
When we sin, it makes a negative impact on those around us. If we lie, our family and friends may no longer find us trustworthy. If we say cruel words, they might distance themselves from us. When we sin against those around us, we violate that sacred trust and closeness that is so hard to achieve.
Sin damages us.
"Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." —Galatians 6:8 (NLT)
When we sin, we damage our self-worth, our personal integrity, and devalue our self-image. Sin may cause us unnecessary anxiety, frustration, or guilt. This is not the life that God intended for His sons and daughters. He wants us to experience an abundant life FREE from that need to sin (John 10:10)—free from guilt and shame.
Sin comes between us and God.
"It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore." —Isaiah 59:2 (NLT)
God wants to forgive those who ask and restore our relationship with Him (John 3:16-17; 1 John 1:9). Once we've accepted His love and His gift of salvation, when we sin, we can feel the separation from God. When we intentionally sin, it hinders our relationship with our Creator because it insults Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
Jesus did not die a brutal death so that we could have a free pass to keep sinning intentionally. He came so that we could be forgiven, made holy, and have the ability to choose to stop sinning (Ephesians 4:1; Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17).
Perfection not required. Trying is expected.
"All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." —2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)
Yes, sin will always be at the door of our lives, trying to get its way in. Even the apostle Paul struggled with sin (Romans 7:7-25), but we have salvation through Jesus, so we're not slaves to sin anymore. Sin is not our master; God is our master. Sin harms us; God helps us.
Intentionally sinning without remorse or a desire to repent is not something one who has truly accepted Christ will want to do. When we truly surrender and choose to make choices based on God's will, we make space to grow and mature as human beings. Perhaps at some point, we'll come to hate sin—just as God hates sin (Psalm 5:5). Yes, we will always struggle with sin, but as long as we are struggling, that means that we haven't given in.
"Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." —Romans 6:2-4 (NLT)
ALSO SEE:
- Hating Sin Doesn't Mean Hating Yourself
- Is temptation a sin?
- What is a license to sin?
- What is repentance?
- If I ask forgiveness ahead of time, is it OK to sin? Will God still forgive me?
- Will God forgive me no matter what?
- Are all my past, present, and future sins forgiven?
- What is sin?
- How can I know if something is a sin?
- What is the conviction of sin?
- How can I stop wanting to sin?
- How do I overcome a habitual sin?
- Do we sin daily?
- What is the purpose of God's discipline?
TL;DR
Our sin nature makes it literally impossible to NOT sin. But that isn't an excuse to keep sinning whenever we wish to. There's a reason why God doesn't want us to sin. Sin damages our relationships with others, ourselves, and with God. Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins so that we no longer slaves to our sinful ways (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17), and we can honor His sacrifice by choosing holiness over sinfulness. We can CHOOSE to resist sin—even if we are tempted by it. Intentionally sinning, without remorse or desire to repent, is to insult Jesus' sacrifice. Yes, God will always forgive us when we sincerely repent, and that's a true grace we can be thankful for.
Writer: Stephanie C.
Stephanie is in her 20s and is passionate about seeing believers grow and deepen their relationship with the Lord. She is a lover of sweet tea, sunshine, and the freedom that comes from Christ. In her free time, she can be found spending time with her husband, playing pickleball, running her soda shop, or jamming out to worship music. Her dreams are to become a published author and open up more locations for her shop, while living a life full of fun and joy that comes from the Lord.
